


Worthy: Secrets Revealed

by EHC



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-22
Updated: 2019-07-30
Packaged: 2020-03-09 16:59:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 5,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18921241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EHC/pseuds/EHC
Summary: Ever wonder what the hell an author was thinking when writing their work? Same! And now, you get to know what I was thinking when writing Worthy, one chapter at a time.





	1. Chapters 1 thru 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been sitting on this since around chapter 29 or so but figured I'd post it now. Why not, right? Anyway, if anyone has any questions about the references I've used, or has a question about something I did in the fic that isn't listed in these chapters, ask in the comments and I'll either answer, or answer and update this work to include it as well.

Chapter 1

  1. Max, Chloe, and Rachel as pirates - Surprisingly enough, this isn't a reference to _Pirates of the Caribbean_ but instead is a reference to [Arrrrcadia](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10822470/chapters/24013869), a pirate AU fic by [ItsaVikingThing](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsaVikingThing/pseuds/ItsaVikingThing). Incomplete but what's there is rather enjoyable.
  2. Mac going to class nude - A bit of a play on the classic trope of "I had a nightmare where I went to class naked," something that I, personally, have never experienced but shows up in countless movies and TV shows.



Chapter 2

  1. Miss Carter - This is none other than the famous Lynda Carter, the original Wonder Woman from the [70s TV show](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonder_Woman_%28TV_series%29).
  2. Tongue test - I will never, never, ever try to explain how this or anything similar works. If there's one thing I know for an absolute fact, it's whenever a writer (fanfic, TV shows, movies, anything) try to explain too much when it's not necessary, the resulting minutiae not only bogs everything down but details will inevitably be absolutely wrong, which destroys immersion. So, like all good writers, I hand-wave it: lightsabers work because of a fancy crystal inside, transporters work because of Heisenberg compensators, and in Worthy, you can get a good indication of someone's role and aspect thanks to a tongue test.



Chapter 3

  1. Rachel loaning Max her clothes - A reference to the game when Max wore Rachel's clothing.
  2. The plan - Probably the most obvious thing I borrowed from [Soulmates](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15281859/chapters/35451204), by [Googlycat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/googlycat/pseuds/googlycat).
  3. "That's not to say that any sexual activity cannot take place; that will between you and the other students." - Back in college, I think during my sophomore year, administration decided to include an infamous article into the student code of conduct that penalized sexual activity between students. The uproar was incredible and I think it was removed a year later as being completely unenforceable and ludicrous. This sentence is a soft reference to that utter stupidity.
  4. "maybe talking to some of the guys would fix her" - This is a common trope I've seen in many other works concerning gay characters and wanted that nod here.



Chapter 4

  1. Sarah Burch - I believe Sarah is the only Blackwell student named in the game that doesn't have an official last name. I stole hers from her voice actress.
  2. Note: I've changed the physical structure of the Prescott Dormitory building a little bit. For starters, counting Max, there are 13 girls living in the dorms in 13 rooms. That's actually 1 more than the in-game map shows is possible as there are only 12 rooms total. In Worthy, there are now 13 rooms. So there. Also, in game, there's a hallway to the right of Max's room that's blocked off by a set of fire doors or something. I think that area's supposed to be reserved for female faculty members, if any (reminds me of my old college dorm). In this story, though, no faculty lives on campus, those doors aren't present, and the hall is a bit longer to accommodate a 13th room.



Chapter 5 - no references


	2. Chapters 6 thru 10

Chapter 6 - no references

Chapter 7

  1. I want to see your pussy - This refrain is from a song by Lords of Acid entitled ["Pussy."](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2RykBWW7k0) I found it when I did an online search for "songs with the word pussy."
  2. "under the rules and regulations that both you and your family agreed with when you first enrolled and reaffirmed at the beginning of every semester since" - I purposely included this segment to show that consent is a constant, even at a training D/S facility where you'd expect corporeal punishment to be used. It definitely can be, as demonstrated here, but it isn't used indiscriminately and certainly not to the exclusion of all other forms of punishment. 



Chapter 8

  1. Note: a lot of the stuff with Nathan in this chapter and others was inspired by something I read online, possibly Tumblr, that drew a ton of parallels between Nathan and Max. Very interesting read.
  2. Miss Carter quietly correcting Nathan against using the title of Mistress is another deliberate choice and something that reflects a bit of Miss Carter's traditionalist beliefs. As far as she's concerned, she may be a Domme but she is not Nathan's Domme, so the use of the title isn't appropriate here. Other people likely follow different rules or have different mindsets about the matter but this is hers.
  3. The sandwich board - A direct reference to the fic [Not the End of the World](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10320806/chapters/22818251), by [ItsaVikingThing](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsaVikingThing/pseuds/ItsaVikingThing). Very cute Pricefield AU where Max & Chloe didn't know each other prior to Max coming to Blackwell, and Chloe and Rachel are besties but not dating.



Chapter 9

  1. "That was a nice thing about Courtney and Taylor: both were subs and had been her friends long enough to know when she was serious and not question her orders." - This chapter was written way before I had solidified Taylor and Courtney's actual relationship with Victoria. As of this moment, I was still working with the idea they'd both be her subs/minions. Things have changed since this chapter.
  2. “Damn Alpha bitch.” - Believe it or not, this is a reference to a Life Is Strange Omegaverse AU I'm tinkering with in the background.
  3. Victoria giving Nathan time to speak - Another Nathan/Max parallel.
  4. Victoria cackling - References a line in the fic [In the Night We Trust](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10716213), by [Recourse](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Recourse/pseuds/Recourse), where Taylor thinks that Victoria has a fantastic cackle. I liked the idea of Victoria laughing like this ever since.
  5. Note: how many false fire alarms did you have to suffer through in high school? Me, I lost count.
  6. flying monkeys - obvious reference to [The Wizard of Oz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wizard_of_Oz_\(1939_film\)).



Chapter 10

  1. Victoria taking care of Max - This was actually inspired by all the doctor ASMR videos I've seen over the years.
  2. Note: Victoria stealing Max's cookies - With as easily as everyone seems to be able to get into each others' rooms in the game, I figured this, too, made sense. I think this has been in a few fics as well, though I can't recall any exact ones at the moment.
  3. Queen Bee of Blackwell - believe it or not, I completely forgot I made this joke way back when. But yes, Max's mistake in chapter 30 is a callback to this forgotten joke.




	3. Chapters 11 thru 15

 Chapter 11

  1. Angel of the Morning - also the [title of a song sung by Juice Newton](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTzGMEfbnAw) and performed by a bunch of others, too.
  2. Kate's eyepatch-wearing dog - reference to the drawings Kate made in the game while in the hospital. Uncertain if it was supposed to be a dog, wolf, fox, or whatever, so I took a guess.
  3. Kate not paying attention to rumors - reference to the game, when everyone was watching Kate's vid and spreading stuff about her.
  4. Kate laughed. "You’re being way too hard on yourself. I’m a Domme in a girls’ dorm at a D/S training facility and high school. You think I haven’t heard far worse than ‘pussy’ before?" - I didn't decide on Kate being a Domme until right when I was typing out this sentence.



Chapter 12

  1. Nathan apologizing - another parallel to Max.
  2. Max smiled and lifted her hand in a Vulcan salute. - obvious Star Trek reference.
  3. Warren changing courses - I hadn't decided on Warren's role as of yet, which is why it isn't named here. It was only when I labeled Brooke in chapter 23 that I did.
  4. Max wondered, again, about Taylor's and Courtney's relationship with Victoria. - At this point in the story, I still hadn't solidified Courtney and Taylor's relationship with Victoria just yet, though I wound up deciding Taylor's two chapters later.



Chapter 13

  1. He reminded Max of herself. Weird. - Blatant reference to the above.
  2. That's one of the reasons Nathan can get away with murder - reference to the game.
  3. Rod Serling - Narrator who introduced and concluded every episode of [_The Twilight Zone_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Twilight_Zone), a show referenced in the previous chapter.
  4. no bullshit - This becomes a thing later.
  5. a tiny part of her wondered what life would be like to always be with Chloe and Rachel, just like this - quiet reference to every Amberpricefield fic I've read and loved.



Chapter 14

  1. That kept going.

And going.

And going. - reference to the Energizer Bunny commercials when they first started off.

  2. sliding her hands down the length of her thighs - Taylor doing this is another reference to [In the Night We Trust](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10716213), by [Recourse](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Recourse/pseuds/Recourse). In that fic, Taylor is revealed to have a couple of self-abusive tics: plucking out her hair one strand at a time and brushing her teeth way too hard. They're bad coping mechanisms she has when things get too stressful. While that isn't the case here in Worthy, I still found myself giving Taylor a tic.
  3. She’s practically a pro at this point, though she doesn’t technically have a license - this is a reference to the [In Death](https://www.goodreads.com/series/41029-in-death) series of novels by JD Robb (Nora Roberts), a police drama/romance series, something I normally wouldn't touch with a 10-foot pole, but since it takes place in 2060, there's just enough sci-fi sprinkled within to keep my interest. One thing in In Death is the presence of legalized prostitution and licensed companions, similar to Inara Serra in the _Firefly_ sci-fi series.
  4. It’s not like she could time travel and find out - Hehehe. A reference to in-game Max.
  5. She knocked twice, paused, then knocked three more times. - Taylor and Victoria both have different knocks so Courtney can identify who's at her door for reasons I'm still messing with. However, the different knocks idea itself is taken from the movie [Léon: The Professional](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9on:_The_Professional).



Chapter 15

  1. she latched onto it with a tenacity that would make a barnacle envious. - a roundabout reference to Max's pirate dream from chapter 1. Barnacles, as you may know, are tough-shelled marine arthropods that can attach themselves to the hulls of ships.
  2. Then, um. I got your, uh, message. Of Chloe. Picture, I mean. Picture of Chloe. - Max's nervousness here is actually a play on [Kuzco's poison from _Emperor's New Groove_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcKGw-IO5Uc).
  3. "Do you trust me?" - reference to [Walt Disney's _Aladdin_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXbnvMuvIyg).
  4. Rachel nodded. Close enough. - believe it or not, this is a reference to [Kreig the Psycho's intro movie for _Borderlands 2_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3mhWvWEb9g).




	4. Chapters 16 thru 20

 Chapter 16

  1. Victoria's background in terms of hobbies - a reference to Kasumi Tōmine, a character in anime/manga _Alien Nine_ who had a similar background.
  2. "Um, I'm actually ambidextrous?" - the Life Is Strange wiki article mentions that Max seems to use both hands equally at different points in the game. I took that and ran with it.



Chapter 17

  1. Riley - Though only mentioned, her name was taken from Riley Abel, Ellie's friend in _The Last of Us:_ _Left Behind_. I originally wanted to use the name Ellie instead but wasn't certain if it'd be too obvious. Also, I like the name Riley. It rolls off the tongue so well.



Chapter 18

  1. a trip without a suitcase - This is a phrase that was used in my household all the time and I'm kind of surprised I don't see it much elsewhere. It kind of means "not all there" or "off the beaten path" or "not quite the norm." Probably because taking a road trip without a suitcase to carry your stuff is incredibly odd, foolish, or asking for trouble.
  2. Victoria's sweet on Max - Another joke I made and completely forgot about, accidentally referenced again in chapter 26.
  3. The sub is strong in that one - Blatant _Star Wars_ reference: "The Force is strong in this one."
  4. "She's such a blank slate I can see her with any number of Dommes, really." - The first hint of Max's role.
  5. Steph must've rolled low on her sneak check - obvious D&D reference.
  6. Rachel watched Chloe's reaction and crooned in delight. On the inside. - This is a reference to a fic that likely predates half of my readers called [Red Senshi Diaries: Seduction](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7530721), where Minako (Sailor Venus) has a similar internal dialogue as she puts the moves on Setsuna (Sailor Pluto).



Chapter 19

  1. Note: Blackwell's cafeteria closes Friday evening and reopens Sunday evening, serving light meals both times. Any food not consumed is donated to the local Meals on Wheels. But because they're closed most of the weekend, students living on campus are given a stipend for meals on Saturday and Sunday.
  2. Sony Cybershot - My first and last digital camera I ever owned. Really liked it but I accidentally broke it when it slipped from my hands and the extended lens smashed against a guardrail, bending it upwards just enough to jam it.
  3. recent photo of Chloe - Reference to the game, episode 1, when Max has the opportunity to snap a photo of Chloe at the lighthouse



Chapter 20

  1. Max touching everything - another game reference since Max can, in fact, go through a lot of people's stuff
  2. Eh, we can work out the thorny details later. - this line is lifted from [Honeypot](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5947356) by [priestessamy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/priestessamy/pseuds/priestessamy).
  3. You make it sound like I've developed super powers or something. - Game reference FTW!
  4. Max seemed more sensitive in her left ear compared to her right. - I'm the same with ASMR.
  5. She wound up squirming ineffectually against Steph's body. - a reference to an _El Hazard_ lemon fanfic from a long time ago. Yes, the use of the term lemon here is deliberate, that's how old it was.
  6. Steph would only need to issue one-word prompts to get Max to switch to the next set of moves - A reference to trash movie _Vicious Circles_.




	5. Chapters 21 thru 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updated May 30, 2019 to add something to chapter 23's list.

Chapter 21

  1. Side note: David and Joyce arrived home a bit earlier, opened the door, heard Rachel's cries of ecstasy, then quietly closed the door and took their time eating dinner somewhere else.
  2. She was a very tactile and physical person who needed to touch and be touched. - A reference to how Rachel is portrayed in [I Could Get Used to This](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12356178) by [Kayleen756894](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kayleen756894/pseuds/Kayleen756894).



Chapter 22

  1. It was a tune Max had heard before, some hymn that she couldn't remember the name of - The hymn Kate is humming is More Love to Thee. No need to look for any symbolism here, I just like the melody.
  2. Kate taking care of Max - A reverse of Max taking care of Kate in-game (and she totally did, so there).
  3. the hem of sleeve had been slightly chewed - A reference to an issue of _Oh My Goddess!_ where Keiichi and Belldandy take in a lost puppy who has a habit of chewing on clothing, but only on those he really likes.
  4. a spoonful of sugar - A Mary Poppins reference.
  5. It wasn't a hymn this time but something classical. Melodic. - The tune I had in my head when writing this scene was [Erik Satie - "Trois Gymnopédies: 1. Lent et douloureux."](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUaFH2h61J0) Not exactly something you'd actually hum but a very lovely, soothing piano piece.
  6. It's actually really good for you to drink some water after waking up - Something I heard on the John Tesh radio show while driving one evening, years ago.
  7. Not with Kate's words melting into her soul like butter on toast. - taken from chapter 9 of Life's Lessons on Stress : Bookworms & Booya vol 3, A Final Fantasy VIII fanfic by mintbaby.



Chapter 23

  1. She breathed in Chloe's scent, a combination of tobacco, weed, body spray - there have been several fics which headcanon Chloe as using Axe or similar products as opposed to perfume. While I don't know if Chloe actually uses Axe specifically, the idea of her using a bath product I've only ever seen aimed at men amuses me greatly.
  2. I think someone's been practicing on her pillow or something. - Something I've seen in several movies and TV shows.
  3. "Wait, what?" - This is a reference to Anna from Disney's _Frozen_.
  4. But I'm definitely in like with him - reference to the fic [Once More, With Feeling](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4679285), by [MistressSiM](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MistressSiM/pseuds/MistressSiM) when Chloe says something similar to Victoria.
  5. Dana placed her hands on Max's knees and gently spread her legs apart - totally stole this from _The Witches of Eastwick_ movie.
  6. Gimme a 'K.' - Believe it or not, this is a reference to the title of the 1984 movie _Gimme an 'F'_ which is essentially a teeny-bopper romance comedy set in a cheerleading camp.
  7. And sweet became glorious - This is a reference to the phrase "and awesome became epic," a line near the beginning of the Mission to OR-42 article on 1d4chan that features bounty hunter Samus Aran kicking all kinds of major ass in the Warhammer 40K universe.
  8. your barnacle girlfriend - another tiny reference to Max's pirate dream from chapter 1.
  9. Hey, my name is Elizabeth. - My best friend gave me this idea, which is a reference to the extended blooper reel for the TV show _Firefly_. In it, there's a funeral and the camera is panning around to show everyone all sad and stuff, but Nathan Fillion keeps moving around, and shows up multiple times in the slow camera pass, always looking somber, while everyone around him is dying laughing.



Chapter 24

  1. It got destroyed by a purposely thrown football during the first week of classes. - A reference to [the spear thrower at a Medieval Festival that took out the flying drone](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOnjlyZf6LE).



Chapter 25

  1. Rachel and her bae - Bae being a reference to the popular Bay vs Bae arguments on Tumblr concerning _Life Is Strange_.
  2. giving the door exactly four knocks - another coded knock.
  3. I'm giving you exactly two hours to stop that. - This is a reference to a line in a _Ranma 1/2_ fanfic by Richard Lawson whose title escapes me.




	6. Chapters 26 thru 30

 Chapter 26

  1. I never said it wasn't funny," Kate replied with a grin, "just that it wasn't nice." - This is a reference to my mom, who will laugh at my bad jokes, then look at me and say "That wasn't very nice."
  2. a portrait of Jesus, though in a very different style than others she'd seen - The exact picture is the painting "Prince of Peace" by Akiane Kramarik.
  3. It made Kate's breath hitch ever-so slightly and she ducked her head to hide the red on her cheeks. - A reference to a few Chloe/Kate fics I've seen. Nothing specific, just the mental image those fics gave me.



Chapter 27

  1. no references



Chapter 28

  1. Amber Waves of Grain - from the song "America the Beautiful"
  2. Mount St. Ice Cream - play in Mount St. Helen's
  3. only she would select Tom Jones' "What's New Pussycat" four times in a row and think it was hilarious - reference to comedian [John Mulaney's skit about playing this exact song in a diner](http://www.cc.com/video-clips/plvv4v/comedy-central-presents-what-s-new--pussycat-).
  4. If I ever try something that fucking stupid again, please, shoot me. - reference to the game, episode 1, when Chloe is shot.
  5. Dana being into bondage was inspired by a series of CG art by user gggttt444 that may or may not have been called Kristina's Privacy. If you do a search for it, be forewarned: it's very nsfw.
  6. Max leaned forward and gave Dana a kiss on the cheek. - This exact scene was inspired by an anime, _Maria-sama ga Miteru_ , and the soft kiss that the Yumi, the main character who is rather shy and timid, gives Sei, the outspoken tomboy-ish girl, after drumming up enough courage to go through with it.



Chapter 29

  1. The shot of Rachel at the beach party a couple weeks back - a reference to the fic [How to Live Here, chapter 2](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12100887/chapters/27598512), by [explosionshark](https://archiveofourown.org/users/explosionshark/pseuds/explosionshark) and [TippyTypewriter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TippyTypewriter/pseuds/TippyTypewriter)
  2. Victoria tugging on Max's hair before and during the kiss - This was inspired by an episode of the Julie Goldman Celesbian Interview Special, featuring Nina Hartley demonstrating to Kate McKinnon the proper way to pull on someone's hair. Kate, amusingly enough, reacted quite strongly to this and when Nina started on her neck, was reduced to incoherent noises.



Chapter 30

  1. Victoria and Courtney's desire to do something like a semi-public a demonstration or performance is inspired by the comic Sunstone.
  2. Victoria owning a Sailor Uranus sleep shirt - this was inspired by [Don't Break Me](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11014782), by [Recourse](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Recourse/pseuds/Recourse), when Max takes a selfie, wearing Victoria's Sailor Jupiter shirt




	7. Chapters 31 thru 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updated May 31, 2019, to add something to chapter 32's list.

 Chapter 31

  1. but I'm also aware I'm a bit of a hothead - a reference to the events in-game where Juliet, in a fit of jealousy, locks Dana in her own room and just fails to listen to reason.



Chapter 32

  1. Holy hell, those things looked practically sprayed on. - a reference to a _Ranma 1/2_ lemon fanfic from quite a long time ago.
  2. I swear you could nuke this entire town off the map and she'd still love you. - This is a reference to Chloe in the game, who said she'd like to drop a bomb on Arcadia Bay and glass the whole place.



Chapter 33

  1. The Max Files - This title is taken, of course, from the TV series, _The X-Files_.
  2. Coffee, Tea, & You - This is taken from the phrase, "Coffee? Tea? Me?" which, in turn, is a variant of the title of a fictitious memoir, _Coffee, Tea or Me?_ , that follows the careers of two rather randy stewardesses back in the 1960s.  




Chapter 34

  1. Afternoon Delight - Taken from the title "Rapper's Delight" by The Sugar Hill Gang
  2. mud around the pond - Eons ago, during the same week I'd taken my archery lessons, our class was taken on a nature hiking trip. We were advised to wear sturdy clothing we didn't mind getting dirty and decent yet disposable shoes. The mud in places would be so deep that the suction could pull them right off your foot. It nearly happened to me.



Chapter 35

  1. Can you tell me what all you've learned so far? - This was deliberate. There was such a long delay between chapters that I wanted to provide a brief overview of what had been discussed before to act as a kind of reminder to the readers. Kate asking, though, also makes sense as Max had interviewed enough people that she wanted to ensure she wouldn't repeat anything Max had already been told.




	8. Chapters 36 thru 40

 Chapter 36

  1. there was a mild debate as to who would get the last slice of cheesy bread - this always tends to happen at office lunches. No one ever wants to appear rude by just taking the last piece of whatever so instead, everyone keeps telling everyone else to go ahead and eat it. Meanwhile, the last piece goes stale.
  2. We're studying the Bible as a work of literature - A real class assignment of mine back in high school English.
  3. Fat Jake's Pizza - I took this name from an Archie comic from a long time ago but as it turns out, I remembered it wrong. It's actually Fat Jack's. Oh, well!
  4. Lynda Carter - This is the first time I ever used her full name. I was mildly curious to see if anyone would ask about her identity the few times I had her featured in the fic but I also know I didn't drop any useful hints in the story, so the likelihood was rather remote.
  5. starting on Tuesday, she was going to start seeing way more D/S stuff all around her. - Another reference to [Soulmates](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15281859/chapters/35451204), by [googlycat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/googlycat/pseuds/googlycat).
  6. D/s/$ Mixer - According to the 2013 calendar, this dance takes place two weeks prior to the End of the World party in the game. I did this on purpose. I wanted to show that the Vortex Club throws regular shindigs, with the End of the World party being just another dance they held. There will likely be at least two more before the semester is through: a Halloween dance and a Winter dance, possibly even a smattering of random ones here and there.
  7. "I take it that Rachel spoke to you, then?" - This happened behind the scenes when Rachel asked Steph for help with Calculus back in chapter 33.
  8. What if months passed and she never did? - This is a reference to every "you useless lesbian" post I've seen on Tumblr that made me laugh my ass off.
  9. but what was a cry for help other than a shout for attention - My choice of words here was very deliberate. Ever have anyone blow off a suicide attempt by saying, "oh, she's just looking for attention?" This is a direct reference to that callous thinking.



Chapter 37

  1. this one closer to the D/S training building than the dorms - another reference to [Soulmates](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15281859/chapters/35451204), by [googlycat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/googlycat/pseuds/googlycat), where there is a dedicated training facility for subs on the main campus. When I looked at a map of Blackwell, I saw there was an empty area just North of the dorms that could easily house such a facility.
  2. Miss Yori Baines, the Algebra teacher (first name not given in the chapter), is named after _TRON_ character Dr. Lora Baines and her program counterpart, Yori.
  3. she looked like she could bench press tanks with those arms! - This is a reference within a reference. Miss Carter = Lynda Carter = Wonder Woman = lifted a tank over in the recent Wonder Woman movie.
  4. How many bones are in the human wrist, again? - This is a nod to a scene in the movie _Terminator 2_ , which Sarah Conner says something similar while busting out of the mental asylum she's been incarcerated in for a few years.
  5. "Ditto." - Stole this straight from the movie _Ghost_ , starring Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore.



Chapter 38

  1. Lou the mailman is pulled directly from the original _Miracle On 34th Street_ , right around the 1:24:00 mark (which can be viewed in its entirety [here](https://archive.org/details/MiracleOn34thStreet1947_201611)). I have no idea why he's the first person who came to mind when I thought of someone to stand behind the counter, but there you go.
  2. Mr. Lawson - the name of another teacher from my past, though I can't recall his first name. If memory serves, he taught 7th grade math.
  3. color-coded rope - Something I read in bondage book at a Books A Million eons ago. Other tips from that book will likely crop up from time to time.
  4. That sounds a bit like it came from a textbook but I'd have to say yes. - This specific phrase is actually in response to a comment from A very happy customer in chapter 35, about how Kate's interview didn't seem to reflect her lack of practical knowledge. What I wanted to show is a lot of what Kate knows does, in fact, come from textbooks, lessons, and lectures, and that's perfectly okay.
  5. Konami code - up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A. The most recent use of this classic code that I can think of is in the movie _Wreck-It Ralph_ , when King Candy accesses the game code for the Sugar Rush arcade cabinet.
  6. Max asking about safewords and referencing what Victoria told her - what I'm attempting to do in the story is show that Max is learning. She remembers the info from the earlier interviews and is incorporating it future ones.
  7. Well, we were young and dumb. - This is directly inspired by [chapter 28 of Escaping the Light](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13970268/chapters/33407226), by [Omnicyde](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Omnicyde/pseuds/Omnicyde).
  8. Maybe doing this assignment helps with confidence - This mirrors something that Miss Carter thought to herself in chapter 32. She wants Max to gain confidence in herself and this assignment is slowly starting to do so.
  9. I was used - Totally stolen from the first _American Pie_ movie.
  10. Max's report has a moment where she compares the info Kate gave her to what Rachel explained all the way in chapter 5. This was deliberate and a further reflection of Max learning and actively applying her newfound knowledge in a real way.
  11. Helena and Cassie - This is Helena Sandsmark, ally of Wonder Woman and mother of Cassie Sandsmark, also known as Wonder Girl. Honestly, I only needed a random name for this e-mail but when given the chance, how could I pass up the opportunity to make more in-jokes about Miss Carter?



Chapter 39

  1. "cereal killer" tee - For examples of what I was thinking when typing this phrase, see [this link](https://www.etsy.com/market/cereal_killer_shirt).
  2. _Gone Home_  - I played this some time back and absolutely loved it. I'm the type of gamer who has to touch everything, explore every nook and cranny, and pick up anything not nailed down, so this game was perfect for me. Also, this game, though probably not the first, ignited the "walking simulator" genre of video games. If you haven't played it yet, I highly recommend it, though since it has zero replayability, I also suggest getting it while it's on sale, then take your time and savor the experience. Don't blitz through it; otherwise, you'll feel cheated.
  3. some of our classes start at 9 instead of 10 - The idea that I have is, for the extended seniors program, some days start at 9 and the classes are nearly all AP (advance placement). Like the afternoon classes for everyone else, these last one and a half hours rather than the standard 55 minutes. So, up to four classes per day, 1.5 hours each, all AP, it can get grueling. Hence, the reason these students also are required to have an elective to break things up.
  4. Max seeing all the kink around her - inspired, once again, by Soulmates, by googlycat.
  5. grace period of normalcy - something I wanted in this AU to explain why there wasn't more kink present and evident at the beginning of the story, something you might expect in a D/S AU.
  6. BDSB - Better Dom/Sub Bureau, a play on the BBB, the Better Business Bureau.
  7. Max shrugged even as she popped in her ear buds and exited the class - A callback to the game's opening credit scene.
  8. killed the remaining time by reading some of the flyers - Also a callback to the game, where the player can do this same thing before heading to the restroom.
  9. "It was no huge loss." - Believe it or not, I pulled this line from another of my other works not published here. Yes, I'm quoting myself. How conceited is that?
  10. she now had a good idea as to why her charge was suddenly getting nervous around her - This is directly related to Miss Carter's own role, which I refuse to disclose at this time. Maybe later.
  11. How long had it been since Max let herself go like this? Months, most likely. - This is in direct contrast to the other times Max has cried in the story, where she desperately kept quiet. It helps show that this revelation completely gutted her.



Chapter 40

  1. As you may have inferred, because the Vortex Club is slightly different in this AU, there was no need for Juliet to write an article blasting it and no need for Victoria to retaliate as she did in the game.
  2. Juliet couldn't help but grin to herself. Story time~! - I had originally wanted to have her think "Scandal!" to herself instead, which is a direct reference to chapter 1 of Party Police, by ItsaVikingThing.
  3. Have I ever told you I'm actually a goddess? - A reference to the Wonder Woman movie in yet another amusing nod to Miss Carter's identity.
  4. In spilled Chloe, Rachel, Juliet, and Steph - I lost count on the number of times I saw this exact trope in movies, sitcoms, and stories. Didn't stop me from using it here, though!
  5. so she can have a self-care day to recover - I specifically wanted to use the term "self-care" here for personal reasons, but primarily because I believe this is critically important IRL.
  6. Krys Porter - the name of a principal character in the _X-Men 2099_ comic series.
  7. and like the beloved toy I've named them after - This was placed here deliberately to reflect how subjective roles are as a whole: people can and do invent new terms on a regular basis. But one thing I tried to portray in the article was the author's use of logic in explaining why she'd invented the term Doll in the first place.
  8. accept that you might be better as friends instead of lovers - a piece of advice I think would be greatly beneficial in the real world.
  9. You might actually be a Chameleon - Using this term here is a nod to RiotWrrrld and Stretch802's comments, both of whom speculated that this was Max's role. I really liked this guess and thought about how I could incorporate it into the fic as a genuine thing.
  10. Bill and Tom - When I told my roommate these names, she about laughed herself sick because she knew exactly what I was referencing: Tokio Hotel.
  11. everyone comforting Max - Originally, Dana was here as well but when I started thinking about things, it occurred to me that she actually shouldn't be present due to either cheer practice or swim practice, something I established about her in chapter 9. As a result, I had to do some shuffling of positions and a few lines of dialogue had to be adjusted. I also wound up adding the line "Not to mention that Dana might want to know something was up with Max when she got out of cheer practice, right?" during Juliet's scene for this exact reason.
  12. Rosenkrantz - One half of the duo of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, friends of Hamlet from the play of the same name, though truth be told, I took the name from the movie  _Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead_, something I had only seen once (part of it, anyway) and absolutely hated. Not my kind of film but the name stuck.
  13. Dana's little wink emoji - I explained it in the comments section but this is Dana having a little bit of fun as she knows something no one else does: she's a switch, meaning, like Chloe, she could be considered one of Max's Dommes.




End file.
